Chronicles Of The Crossroads - ACT I
by WalterFairbrook
Summary: Beginning after the events of the first Avengers movie, adding characters from the comics. Follows the lives of Jason Law, Walter Fairbrook and Igor Shostakovich, three enhanced individuals who cross paths and fight for survival in the dark corners of a fearful world and meeting other enhanced. (OC x Scarlet Witch; OC x Storm)


**Chronicles Of The Crossroads: Act I - Meeting**

The bustling city of New York was a flare of light on the night sky, brightly lit buildings painting the famous skyline. Parts of the city were in ruin, due to the very recent Kree invasion that was thwarted by the Avengers. In the dark alleys however a predator was on the prowl. He followed his target with deadly precision, his red eyes glowing in the dark. He donned black garments and black boots, a leather trenchcoat over his shoulders. He ran his fingertips through his dark hair, cut-short and slicked back. A sadistic smirk erupted in his lips as the prey's footsteps quickened. He knew he was being hunted. With a chuckle, the dark-clad man descended from the rooftops with a leap, stopping the man in his tracks.

"Good evening." He spoke lowly, with a hint of malicious amusement as he took slow steps towards the younger man before him.

"Who the fuck are you?" asked the man in the tattered clothes.

He knew he was being followed for some time. His first thought was that he had been discovered by the Agency. But he was not one of them. He didn't look like he was there to capture him. No. There was murderous intent behind his eyes his sadistic smile gave it away.

"What do you want from me?" Sweat ran down his temples as he stepped away from the man in black. The latter turned his head to the right and left, his red eyes scanning his surroundings.

"You're in no position to ask questions lad." His smirk grew larger as he took one step closer to his prey. The other man couldn't escape from him. The only way to escape with his head still attached from that filthy, dark alley was to run through him, something very unlikely to happen.

"Who I am isn't important. I have a certain hunger you see, that ain't easily fed."

The man said never stopping in his painfully slow stride towards the shaken man. His arm began to shift and twist, and a black mass of black tendrils enveloped the limb and his fingers turned into 12 inch claws, glinting in the night. He smirked darkly.

"I'm afraid it's the end of the line for you boy." The man in black finally said as he darted towards him with unnatural speed, arm at the ready to carve the tattered man into ribbons.

"Please stop!" The latter yelled out, outstretching his hands to shield his face.

An explosion echoed in the streets. As the shaking man opened his eyes again, they widened in shock as he saw the man in black indented into the wall, a gigantic gaping wound on his side, oozing with blood. He coughed streams of ichor and chuckled in pain. "Now ain't this a surprise..."

"I'm... I'm sorry."

"Why apologize? I'm the one who tried to kill you after all. Besides..." He stopped talking as his body twitched and the wound closed insanely fast, healing completely. He stood from the indented wall and cracked his neck. "...I am no ordinary man."

The younger man looked at the man in black and his newly grown arm and chest. "That wasn't there." he thought.

His vision started wavering when he noticed the gash in his chest. There was too much blood gushing out of the wound and his patched coat was drenched in crimson. A deep pool of blood gathered at his feet, his own reflection on it. Despite this, he felt no pain, the adrenaline clearly doing its job. He knew he wouldn't survive with such a deep wound. "A fitting end. My sins must be payed for after all..." he thought. "Who are you?" He asked, his strength death was certain he was sure of that, but he yearned for his killer's name. "Pathetic last thought..." He mumbled to himself.

"Walter." The man's voice was cold and decided, his usual smirk painted on his lips. "And who are you?" He inquired back.

"I'm… I'm Jason Law". A sickening pain erupted from his chest. His scream echoed loudly that even the hungry ravens flew away. His hands and feet were cold and numb, his blood escaping him by the second. Jason looked at his left hand and instinctively clutched it on his chest. His vision was clouded and dark, his mind shutting down from the pain. He dropped to the ground with a thud, barely hearing Walter's voice amused statement as he faded into the abyss.

"Well... You're quite the interesting find."

* * *

Jason came to with a gasp, immediately clutching his chest. He rubbed his eyes and was confused when he didn't feel the gouging pain from before. He looked down to see he had been changed into a clean sweatshirt from the ragged coat he was accustomed to. Lifting up the fabric he gazed in shock to his chest, which had no wound or even scar.

"Surprised me too."

His eyes darted to the source of the voice. He was apparently in a small warehouse, barely lit by a few bulbs. There he saw him. Leaning against a cluttered desk, lit cigarette between his lips, Jason saw his attacker, the man he knew only as Walter. "What is this place? What have you done to me?" Jason asked the man carefully.

"When you passed out, cops showed up because of your incessant screaming. This is one my hideouts of sorts." Walter said standing up, and sitting on a chair closer to the bed Jason was in. "And for the record, I didn't do anything, my interest far surpasses my hunger. What are you? Mutant? Experiment gone wrong? Maybe just a freak..." Walter inquired, his eyes scanning Jason, a perfect storm of unreadable thoughts behind his red orbs.

Jason's eyes narrowed as he finished speaking. Walter laughed aloud at the poor display of intimidation. "Offended? I did not mean to upset you Jason, after all you saw perfectly well what lurks in me." He stood once again, returning to his desk, his back turned to the bed. "I'd say freak is a word I am well allowed to use as I see fit..." He glanced behind him. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Jason tried to remember what happened before he fell unconscious. Memories of that night quickly surged in his mind. He had left the Stark Tower, and sneaked to a dark alley so he wouldn't be found by anyone. Moments later he heard footsteps above. Someone or something was on the rooftops. Jason started walking towards the empty streets, but the sound followed him. They weren't the footsteps of a regular human, being too quick and silent, almost as if the feet didn't touch the ground. He was beginning to doubt his stalker's humanity. His first thought was that the Agency had sent a mutant to find and subdue him. But as soon as he saw what was stalking him, Jason knew it wasn't the Agency. The man known as Walter wanted to kill him. His attack was over as soon as it began. But that grotesque arm of Walter and the way he regenerated was the furthest thing from normal. It was otherworldly. After that Jason woke up in this strange warehouse. "How long have I been unconscious?" he asked.

"Two days." replied Walter. He took a drag from his cigarette and stared at Jason, eyes brimming with curiosity. "What are you?" insisted Walter. "You don't seem to be the regular mutant, and you don't look like someone who was subjected to scientific experiments. Maybe I was right. Maybe you're just a freak after all". His smirk openly proved how amused he was at the whole ordeal.

"I… I don't know." said Jason, hesitant.

"How can you not know what you are?" Walter said, with a chuckle.

"I don't recall being subjected to experiments. Maybe I'm a mutant."

"Sure, you possess the abnormal capabilities and the genes of a mutant. But there's also something that doesn't match with any regular mutation." Walter put out his cigarette on the ashtray on his desk.

"What do you mean?" asked Jason.

"The regular mutant has only one mutation or "ability", if you prefer that way. What the mutant does with his mutation is his decision, but all the deviations of his power are related and linked to his mutation. You following me?".

Jason was looking at Walter trying to understand what he was saying. "No."

Walter sighed and rubbed his temples, annoyance evident. "Imagine a mutant that can make fire with his body alright? Whatever he is able to do, it's all related to his mutated manipulation of fire. It's all related to his specific mutation." Walter looked to Jason's abnormal emerald green eyes. "Get it know?"

"Yes." answered Jason, with a nod. "But what does this have to do with me? Since my mutation's awakening, my power has always been destroying things with my touch."

"No." said Walter with an amused smirk. Jason stared puzzled at Walter as he lit another cigarette. "You don't have only a single mutation. You seem have two of them."

"Two of them?" Jason asked quizzically.

"Yes. I took the liberty of taking a sample of your blood when you were out. According to my analysis, your DNA seems to have been scientifically designed, two distinct mutant genes have been added to your base genome. I don't know how they made that happen and I don't want to know." He blew the smoke out and his voice turned somber. "So I would wager you were made in a lab. Possibly experimented on before you were even born... You can destroy anything with your touch according to your words, however before you passed out, you healed the wound I inflicted on you. Quite the trick..."

"I... can do that?" Jason asked, amazed.

"Apparently you can." Walter said, standing up and returning to his desk. Jason's eyes followed him.

"What about you? What are you?" Walter sighed and turned to him.

"A question for another time, if we ever meet again." Walter said, half lost in thought.

"Why didn't you kill me?"

"Eheh, you are interesting enough to have earned your survival." Walter replied with a small smirk.

"Can you cure me?" Jason asked uncertain.

"Cure you? Jason... There is nothing in you to cure. You were made to be like that." Walter reasoned.

"I never asked to be like this!" Jason replied, frustration building up.

"Of course you didn't, you weren't even born. Sometimes we can't change what we are kid." Walter reasoned. "However, I can tell you how to control that." Jason's eyes lit up as he looked at the man expectantly.

"How?!"

Walter walked to his side and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Wear gloves." Walter deadpanned, trying to contain his laughter.

Jason couldn't hide his disappointment. Walter laughed at his reaction and opened the door of the warehouse. "Don't be like that boy, just accept who you are. Decide to use your gift or hide it forever and live a "normal life". Now get out of here before I decide to kill you again." Walter said jokingly.

Jason stood up and walked slowly to the door. "Thanks for getting me out of that alley." Jason said, stopping outside the door.

"Don't thank me. Thank the people who gave you the ability to heal." The man in black replied with a sly smirk, closing the door, as Jason walked away from the warehouse, unsure of where to go next.


End file.
